The Best Irish Beers for St. Patrick's Dayand Beyond

Five Irish beers prove their versatility with sweet and savory recipe pairings by Joshua M. Bernstein

E
very March 17 seems to activate a conditioned response in beer drinkers: It's St. Patrick's Day, so it's time to clamor for pints of inky Guinness. While no one would deny that Guinness is a quality quaffsilky, rich, and deservedly ubiquitousSt. Patrick's Day is the perfect occasion for trying out other first-rate Irish brews.

The most recognized style is dry Irish stoutblack and roasty, and deceptively light-bodied. Ireland's Guinness, O'Hara's, and Murphy's are the best known (with Porterhouse less so), but there are numerous American "Irish stouts" that stand out as well, such as Boulevard Brewing and North Coast. And equally deliciousand differently coloredis the Irish red ale. Ireland's Smithwick's is the most famous example of Irish red ale, with its slightly sweet and toasty, caramel-driven flavor, but in recent years the Irish red ale has become a springtime favorite of American craft brewers as well. You'll be pleased to fill your pint glasses with balanced, smooth-sipping renditions such as Sam Adams Irish Red, Great Lakes Conway's Irish Ale, or Harpoon Celtic Ale.

You won't find the popular George Killian's Irish Red (made by multinational corporation MillerCoors) on a list of Irish red alesit's actually a lager. A tastier lager to try is Harp, Ireland's benchmark of the crisp, light-bodied style. Harp is traditionally mixed 50-50 with Guinness to create the Black and Tan. For an American craft alternative, try Oregon-based Rogue's refreshing Irish Style Lager.

No matter which brew you choose, the best news is that these Irish beers are delightful companions to the dinner table and dessert trayin March, April, or any month you fancy.

Boulevard Brewing Irish Ale, Missouri

To create this Celtic ale, the Kansas City brewery relies on a blend of six malts and five hops, resulting in a rich, sparkling-ruby revelation. Irish Ale offers up a gently grassy, floral aroma mixed with caramel and toast. As for the taste, there's plenty of toasted bread there, too, along with light bitterness, faint sweetness, and a smooth mouth feel. With a crisp, dry close, you'll happily sip plenty of Irish Ales as the clock ticks late.

Savory Recipe Pairing:

Sweet Recipe Pairing:

Reuben Sandwich
The beer's crisp, drying character ably holds its own against the sandwich's salty, greasy glory, while the ale's caramel flavors complement the more savory and piquant elements.

Crème Brûlée Tart
The tart's caramel flavors are echoed in the ale, which has a gentle, toasty sweetness that's drawn out by the dessert.

Guinness, Ireland

Guinness may be as dark as a moonless midnight, but the ale's low alcohol content puts it on par with Coors Light. The stout's luscious, creamy head and mouth feel come courtesy of nitrogen: The dissolved gas creates smaller bubbles than does carbon dioxide, resulting in the trademark pillowy foam. Flavor-wise, Guinness tastes a tad bittersweet, with appealing notes of roasted coffee and chocolate. It's like drinking liquid silk.

Savory Recipe Pairing:

Sweet Recipe Pairing:

Shepherd's Pie
Freighted with lamb and root vegetables and capped with mashed potatoes, this hearty pie is a perfect match for the surprisingly light and decidedly roasty Guinness.

Guinness Stout Ginger Cake
Guinness gives this moist spiced cake a measure of chocolaty richness, which is augmented when you sip a silky pint alongside a slice.

North Coast Old No. 38 Stout, California

Though this California outfit is best known for its potent Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout and the sweet, figgy Old Stock Ale, the brewery also has a deft touch with lower-alcohol brews such as Old No. 38. Named for a retired steam engine that once charged through the redwood forests, this midnight-hued Irish-style stout presents a strong aroma of sweet chocolate, with flavors of well-roasted malts, plums, raisins, and java. It goes down smooth and creamy, with a refreshingly dry finish.

Chocolate Mousse
The cool, luscious mousse is seemingly tailor-made for chocolaty Old No. 38; top the dessert with fresh berries to bring out the stout's dark fruit notes.

Rogue Irish Style Lager, Oregon

(About $6 for a 22-ounce bottle)
Style: Irish Lager
5.2 percent ABV

Rogue's rep is staked on its hop-forward ales, but with the Irish Style Lager the brewery proves it can make a lovely little lager, too. The Irish-style brew was born when brewmaster John Maier wanted to craft a lager that, like Harp, would serve as a suitable float for Guinness. Four batches of trial and error resulted in this mellow wonder with a floral aroma and restrained bitterness. The beer tastes lightly of toffee and freshly baked bread, with a fruity and refreshingly crisp close that is reminiscent of apples.

Caramel Apple Crisp
The dessert is harmonized by the beer's flavors of toffee and bread; its brisk, apple-y finish nips lingering sweetness in the bud, leaving you clamoring for another bite.

Prices and availability subject to change.

Joshua M. Bernstein has written for numerous magazines, newspapers, and Web sites, including The New York Times, Gourmet.com,Forbes Traveler, New York magazine, andTime Out New York. He wrote a weekly food-and-drink column for the New York Press for seven years and is a beer features writer forImbibe. He is the author of Brewed Awakening: Behind the Beers and Brewers Leading the World's Craft Brewing Revolution and lives in Brooklyn, New York, where he leads homebrew tours and drinks plenty of beer. You can find him atjoshuambernstein.com.